LETTER: Order is open door for developers

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According to the Press Statement issued by the Horsham District Council’s Communications Manager, although Cllr Vickers (Cabinet Member for Planning and Development) is ‘disappointed’ that the Planning Inspector, Mr Geoff Salter, has increased the house-building target for the District to 800 houses per year, his ‘note’ (in which he sets out his instructions to the Council) ‘does give us some certainty for the foreseeable future’.

This terse Press Statement is clearly an attempt at shaping the public’s perception by glossing over the unfortunate reality and likely consequences for the District of Mr Salter’s directive to the Council, and the Council’s unwillingness either to question or challenge it.

‘Some certainty for the foreseeable future’ includes the certainty that following the adoption of the Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF), and notwithstanding the allocation of sites with the capacity to meet Mr Salter’s imposed and excessive target, developers will declare that the District does not have a demonstrable five year housing land supply – and will seek more permissions at Appeal to build on unallocated sites.

Note that immediately the HDPF is adopted, the five year housing land supply figure will be inflated by the addition to it of the shortfall in houses built since 2011 against the new and retrospective target of 800 houses per year. Accordingly, a five year requirement of around 5,000 houses seems likely.